Coordinate switch



Jan. 27, 1925. 1,524,344 H. F. DOBBIN 'cooRDINATE swI'rcH Filed llay 4, 1922 2 Sheets-*Sheet 1 y 1 iii un. 27. 1925. f 1,524,344

H. F. DOBBIN 'GOORDINATEL SWITCH Filed May 4, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. `DOIBBIN, 0F NEW YOR-K, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY,

INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEWAYORK.

COORDINATE SWITCH.

Application filed May 4, 1922. Serial No. 558,546.

T 0 ZZ ywhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY F. DoBBiN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York, Sta-te of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coordinate Switches, of which the. following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to automatic switching apparatus and more particularly to coordinate switches of the type used for establishing connections in an automatic tele-phoneexchange system.

The present invention is an improvement on the switch structure of the type genen ally disclosed and described in the British Patent 183,436 issued to Vestern Electric Company, Limited, accepted August 23, 1923, which is directed to ay switch structure having camming members, or cards for moving sets of active contacts into engagement with sets of passive contacts, the camming cards being mounted on resilient supports and arranged to be moved through the conjoint operation of actuating bars.

The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved form of switch structure of the character above described which will be simple, economical and reliable in operation.

A feature of the invention consists in the combination of normally disengaged contacts, operating members or cards for effecting the engagement of the contacts, and a selective mechanism for opera-ting said cards, with members for guiding the cards, so that the engagement of the contacts may be accomplished in a positive manner.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description and the claims appended hereto, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a partial front assembly view of said switch; Fig. 2 is a. cross section view thereof; Fig. 3 is a right-hand side view of Fig. 1 showing the middle setv of contacts in operated posi` tion; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of a guide showing a set of contacts, and a camining card in position in the guide.

The sets of passive conductors 1, 2, 3 and 4, etc. are securely fastened at their ends to iXedi members (not shown) forming a portion of the supporting frame 5 of the switch (F ig. 3) and are preferably woven in and out between insulating strips 6 in the manner disclosed in the aforementioned application.

A support. 7 of insulating materia-l, also suitably secured to the frame of the switch, is provided for each row of sets of flexible wire contact springs or active conductors S, 9, 10, 11, etc. These supports 7 are disposed at right angles relative to the direction of t-he length of the grid conduct-ors 1, 2, 3 and 4. The free ends of each set of contact springs S, 9, 10 and 11 extend through oblique lapertures 12 in a camming member or card 13, each of said cards being slidably arranged in a channel-shaped guidey 14 consisting essentially of a plate 15 and strips 1G overlying opposite edges of said cards. The card 13 is normally arranged in the guide to hold the active conductors 8, 9, 10 and 11 out of contact with the grid conductors 1, 2, 3 and 4 by means of a. resilient support 17 which is adjusted normally to rest in the bot-tom of a V-shaped aperture 1S of the plate 15.

The specific form of selective mechanism shown and described herein does not form a part of this invention but is described and claimed in the British Patent 213,437, issued to the Testern Electric Company, Limited, accepted April 3, 1924. The above mentioned `mechanism comprises generally a plurality of selective bars 19, each being associated with a row of sets of active conductors. The said bar19 carries a` plurality of cams 20 and is journaled at its end portions in suitable bearings not shown. Secure-ly attached to each bar is an arm 21, arranged to be operated by an arm 22 carried by the armature 23 of electromagnet 24.

Associated with each set of grid conductors is a bar 25 which carries a plurality of resilientoperating arms 26, each of which is associated with a. cam 2O of the vertical bars 19 with which bar 25 cooperates. The arms 26 are adapted to be engaged by the cams 20 upon conjoint operation of the respective bars 19 and 25. The said bar 25 is journaled `at its end portion in bearings not shown. Securely attached to each bar 25 is an armature 28 which is arranged to be attracted by electromagnet 27 whereby the bar' is rotated through a small angular distance. The selective bars 19, together with Cil ' of which isprovided for each'bar.

IlVhat is claimed is:

1. In a switching mechanism, a set YofV contacts, y an operatmgmember ifor'said con-V tacts, meansl for guiding`lsaidv`member in-V cluding a plate, said contacts extending through an aperture in said plate, 4and means on said plate arranged to form a channel in which said"member is' retained.

2. In a switching mechanism, setsf'ot contacts, -an operating member for each sety of said contactsmeans for. guiding saidmembers including a back supporting pla-te, a plurality of strips on said plate,lsaid `strips vby 'cooperation withsaidl plate forming a vchannel-shaped guide for said members,and meansoroperating saidmembersin .said guide.

- 3.-.`In a switching mechanism,.sets contacts, a t1e-,mem'berA-- mdl-vidual'- toeeachof said sets, andmeans for guiding saidl'members f including ya plate, Y said contacts AeX-V tendi'ng through an apertureinsaid'plate, a plurality# of strips on said plate, Lsaid strips. having portions extending -pa-rtly `over the Ifront of said memberV wherebyfsaid member is retained but vtree to slide fin-,said guide.

4l. Iny a switching mechanism, afset" of passive contacts,*a vset lof active contacts normallyrout of engagement therewith, atie lmember for said' active contacts, aflexfible support for said rtiefmember, a channel shaped guide member,and means for operating 'said support to Imove saidtie- Vmember inV t-he channel-shaped guidelto effect' contact 'between said passive andzactij've icontacts. Y A. A'

5.v In a switching mech anism,L a yplurality of sets ofpas's'ive contacts,^'azfplui'alityof sets-ot1 active contactsnormally out ,ofy engagement therewith-rand".arranged in coor- 'dinate'rows with respect .to ther'st1men tioned sets, 'a tie member'for .each setof said active contacts, a flexible support for eachof saidties, means for guiding said ties :including a'r-plate, "af lplurality 'of strips m'oiiiited `n` saidu plate and arranged to cooperate therewith to form a channel-shaped fguide" in* which said tie members are free to slide, and means 'for selectively moving said members individually 1n said guide t0 effect 'interenga'gement between said contact sets.

v"guide for each membeigneach st-rip. being disposed soA as tol form a portion of a-guide for more than one of said members.

8. In a switching system, a plurality 'of sets of contacts, operating members therefor, av mounting plate, and strips* secured to said mounting plate in a manner to' form a'V retaining guide 4for each-member, Ieach strip .being disposed so as to4 Vform a portion` of a guide for morethan one member. 9. In a switching device, the comb-mation of sets of active contacts arranged V1n rows,

sets ,of .grid wire contacts associated with said active contacts, an operating'cardj for each set of said active contacts, resilient supports for said cards, a4 lplatedisposed in/a plane-.parallel to and adjacent to" said grid vwire contacts, and V-shapedr aperturesin said plate for holding each vof) said supports in adjusted position to permit the mounting or removal of said grid wireas a unit without obstruction Jfrom said active contacts.

Y' In witness whereof; I hereuntof subscribe my name thislst day of May A. D., 1922.

HENRY F. DOBBIN. 

